El Gran Gatsby [Blu-ray] [Spain Import]

Literature teachers admire this film version of The Great Gatsby because it is more faithful to the novel. However, squeezing the novel into 100 minutes on the DVD leaves much out. The weak script with its flat dialogue misses the morality of the novel and the spirit of the Jazz Age. Toby Stephens as Gatsby, and Mira Sorvino as Daisy, offer mechanical performances, with zero chemistry between them. Martin Donovan, as Daisys wealthy husband Tom Buchanan, comes off as working class brute rather than a blue blood. Paul Rudd as Nick the observer and narrator, is the films main virtue. Otherwise, the direction is almost nonexistent. Leave this film version of The Great Gatsby to the classroom.

The movie starts out with Gatsby being shot in his pool, and his cufflinks fall from his hands. We are then taken back in time to see the events that lead up to Gatsbys demise. Nick, the narrator, is in the bond business and he moves into the house next to Gatsby. Gatsby has been waiting for and opportunity to finally see Daisy, the woman he loved but was not wealthy enough to marry. Now that Nick, who also knows Daisy, moved next door, Gatsby finally has a way to casually bump into her. Since Gatsby is wealthy, he can impress Daisy and win her heart back. The dilemma is that Daisy loves her husband, Tom, or at least she loved him at one point. They even had a daughter. This isnt a problem for long because a rapid string of events occurs, and we find that a man shoots Gatsby. Paul Rudd played the character of Nick. I think he did an excellent job. He was exactly how I pictured Nick in the book. Gatsby, on the other hand, is a different story. Toby Stephens was not who I pictured as Gatsby when I read the book. I pictured Gatsby as being noticeably older than Nick and not phony at all. Toby Stephens appeared to have trouble performing Gatsbys smile and old sport. They just didnt seem to come naturally to him, which hindered the image of Gatsby. The movie followed the book very well. However, the beginning of the movie was different than the book because rather than having Nick foreshadow something bad to happen in the future, it started off with Gatsby being shot. Other than that part, Id say the movie didnt alter the book. The scenes were just how I pictured them. For instance, Toms house was breezy and white when we first met Daisy and Jordan. Thats just how I pictured it in the book. Gatsbys house was not how I pictured it, though that is only my opinion. I thought the yard where the parties took place should have been larger, and the inside of the house should have been more spacious. The costumes were right on, even Gatsbys silver suit and gold tie from when he met Daisy again at Nicks house. Im sorry to say that the movie version of The Great Gatsby fell short of the novel. Though it was easy to follow and its mood seemed to match that of the book, it just wasnt impressive. The role of Gatsby could have been performed a lot better. The movie was somewhat enjoyable, but it lacked something. I recommend reading the book.

Considering the first attempt at the movie The Great Gatsby was a flop I had some skeptical feelings going into the movie. But I really liked it in the end. In the movie Gatsby, Toby Stephens, is an entrepreneur who is also chasing the girl that he lost so many years ago, Daisy, Mira Sorvino. All of a sudden an old friend of Daisy moves in Nick, Paul Rudd. Who just so happens to live right next to Gatsby. Coincidence? I think not. Thus the story begins with all the right chemistry to have someone die. And someone does in the end. Gatsby of course because how else could this story end someone had to loose. The performances were good although Mira Sorvino just didnt do it for me as the ditsy Daisy. Paul Rudd on the other hand did an excellent job as Nick. Music was great the story had a good flow and was easy and enjoyable to watch. I would watch it again. Hope this does it for you or at least Mr.M

The Great Gatsby, is a wonderful and exciting book, which is held close to many readers hearts. The Great Gatsby the movie, on the other hand was clearly a made for TV, late night special. Nick the main character is portrayed in the book as a simple, clear headed, individual with a sense of innocence. The movie does accomplish finding a actor to suit Nick as a character. Paul Rudd does an excellenct portraying my image of Nick. His facial twitches seem to work well for his character; these oddly resemble the ones MR. M expresses with frustration in class. His acting talent is able to set the tone that you could tell was meant while Fitzgerald was writing the book. Daisy, played by Miamira Sorvino was quite disappointing. The director seemed to change Daisys character to make her more charming, and sweet but in the book I found her to be quite shallow, and careless. The movies accuracy was pretty good compared to the book. But many symbolic aspects were left out such as the car accident with Owl eyes, and when daisy starts crying when she sees Gatsbys shirts. These are important factors in the whole symbolic storyline Fitzgerald sets up. Most characters fit their roles well such as Nick and Gatsby, But Daisy on the other hand lacked the acting skills needed to do a good job. The set that the movie had was magnificent, located in New Port, Rhode Island, but the movie greatly lacked the cinematography that is crucial in making a good film. You can tell that the budget was quite low for the movie since it did nothing all to extravagant. All and all the movie was ok for a made for TV special, but I must admit that I was somewhat disappointed since I enjoyed the book so much.

This completes my collection on all the The Great Gatsby movies made.

I had the pleasure recently of re-reading the book and then watching both film versions. This version is definitely not the one to watch if you want any sense of the greatness of F. Scott Fitzgeralds masterpiece. The older 1970s version was not perfect by any means. That film, led by Robert Redford, Sam Waterston, Bruce Dern, and Mia Farrow, essentially captured the subtext of F. Scott Fitzgeralds novel of the vapid lifestyle of the rich of the 1920s. Thanks to a superior script by Francis Ford Coppola and great acting by the entire cast, the meaning of Fitzgeralds novel becomes very clear without overstating the obvious. The 1970s film is a perfect companion to any discussion of the novel. Unfortunately the same cannot be said of this version. The only positive comment I can make is that it is mercifully almost 1 hour shorter than the original. The actors are miscast, the set design pedestrian, and the story re-written to produce no more than a better than average movie of the week. The entire point of the novel is missed here. Too much time is spend concentrating on Mira Sorvino who is a miscast as a too young Daisy. The other major roles are dull and not very believable. What can you say about a film (SPOILER HERE) that has Gatbsy killed at the very beginning of the film instead of the end. What can you say about a film that has to add an explanation to the viewer that they are watching a film about the rich in 1920s New York in a voiceover. What can you say of a film that is too afraid to muss up the makeup of its too young cast and misses a major plot device used in Fitzgeralds depiction of 1920s Great Neck, er, I mean East Egg - that it was a HOT summer before air conditioning and everyone was hot, tired and sweaty. Watch this for comparative purposes only. As a TV movie it is OK, as a depiction of The Great Gatsby, this film missed the whole point.

k

It is shocking that, in the Age of Political Correct-ness, students and teachers have moved away (with polite obtuseness) from the central issues of personality and identity--when they run parallel with race. Gatsby, for instance. Why was the character so willing to part with his original name, Gatz? --The answer: Gatz (a corruption of Katz) is a German Jewish name. The character--a social climber of the 1920s--was emulating the wealthy and privileged Anglo-Saxon society from which he was forever barred. This issue of the ethnic upstart, who tries--to somewhat embarrassing effect [old sport]--to efface his past and assimilate is a major theme of 20th Century American culture. But everywhere, this very obvious component of the story is neglected . . . or else passed over in an embarrassed conspiracy of silence as director after director cast they wasp-ish looking actors they can find--at one stroke eliminating the characters motivation in changing his name, moving away from his home and creating a false past. Secondly, it goes a long way toward explaining his rejection by the shallow Daisy character. In this current cinematic treatment of Gatsby, all of the mistakes are repeated from previous motion pictures--with a whole new batch of gaffes, blunders and just plain bad acting. For this reason, I suggest to anyone who sees it to read the novel--itll make much more sense.

Received very quickly.

i FOUND THIS VERSION OF FITZGERALDS GREAT STORY, THE BEST VERSION AS IT IS FULLY NARRATED BY THE CHARACTER NICK. HOWEVER, TWO-THIRDS OF THE WAY THROUGH THE DVD, IT WAS DAMAGED AND I COULDNT VIEW THE REST EVEN THOUGH I HAD BOUGHT A NEW DVD. WHAT A FRUSTRATING EXPERIENCE.......